Wheel



Feb. 15,1921. n EMD 1 .6,11442- 0 wagx. l

Filed sept. A19. 1923 z .snetsfshet 1 jiji.

Jokn 273-Zaio 'V' Patented Feb. 15, 19.27.

UNITED STATES JOHN R. EAID, OF CHICAGO,

earner foFffFlc/E.

ILLINOIS, Assreivon To THE rEoPLEs 'rnusfr vAND4 sAvIuefsl BANK OF CHICAGO, TRUSTEE.

WHEEL.

Application filed September 19, 1923. nSerial No. 663,646.

F ig. 1 is a viewof one .form of wheel em-' ibodying the invention; Fig. .2 s .a sectional -2--2of Fig. l; Fig. V3 is a sectional view taken .on line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

view italien on line Fig. 4 is .a sectional view taken on line' 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. .5 is a sectional view taken on Vline 5-5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. i6 Fis a' sectional view taken on line 6---6 of Fig. 1.

Like numerals Vrefer to like parts throughout the several li'gures. Y

4Referring now .to `the drawings, I yhave i1lustrated'awheel having an outer rim `1 and Va `hub 2. The rim is provided with la tire holdingpart 3 ofthe ordinary Ikind which vholds fthe "tire 4 wbichis preferably "a Vsolid rubber tire. .Fastened vto the rim 1 are afseriesgof` spokes 5. The middle portion k6 `of each spoke :is .flat so as to secure a 'spring effect. The end portions are preferably :round so as to permit longitudinal movement in suitable guides. Each Aspoke `is inclosed in an inclosingdevice throughout ja greater lportion of its length.` As herein gshown, each `inclosing device is made up of two strong,iat -pieces 7 which are fastened rto the yhub 2 and which projectV outwardly from the h ub to a point near the rim 1, Vthere #being a sufcient space Vbetween the ends thereof and the rim I1 to permit the `necessary,movement ofthe parts. These flat pieces also have a spring effect when the wheel is-in operation. The hub is provided with a square, radial opening 7 a into which the flatpieces'7 project (see Figs. 3 and 4). Located between these pieces is a guide '8 forthe inner roundV portion of `the spoke, this guide being fastened -to the flat pieces 7 by welding or-otherwise so as the flat pieces -or members 7 are received.

.between theshoulder 12.011 vthe hub andthe ends of the spokesY 5. VIntbe.Const-r11lotion to be held in placerind so esto-spread the 55 flat pieces ,apart and hold .them 1in this .position. lThese fiat `pieces may be held from longitudinal movement by `means of :the -pins y10in the hub 2 such pins projecting partly v into grooves in the iat pieces (see`Fig. 8;) so 60 "as to hold lthem. against longitudinal movement. The ,hub is .provided with alellm Y .ferential groove'll (see Figs. 2 and 3') soas to forma shoulder l2 on the vhub and fthe square radial openings `721 for themembers 7 .connect with this groove Vas shown inFig. 3. At the outer edge of the groove 1l is small deeper 'groove 13 with which cornlniln-` cate the :grooves ltintowhich the edgesfof This groove 18 facilitates the Vinakimgf :the grooves 14 v(see Figs. ,3 'and .41). Located v between` :the inner ends of the ,members 7 are the coil springsY 15 whichare located shown the ends 9 of the spokes 5 have lattached .theretov the pieces .16 J(see Fig. L3). v These .pieces are wider than thediameter of the spokes so -as to permit fthe springs lto .1be subjected to pressure atalltimesand permit the end pieces 9 of the spokes to Yreciprocatein the guides 8. -I prefer to provide on the interior of the springs lothersprngs 1.7. One of the `springs .either `15 01' v17 is preferablyshorter than the other sogthatone spring will first take the loadand as the lload reaches a predetermined amount the other .spring will be brought into action. In the construction shown in Fig. .3 .the Vinner springs V17 are Vshown as shorter than the .outer springs l5. `The radial openings 'Wex- ,tend to the yface ofthe hub so thatthepars y -can vhe inserted laterally kand 'the .parts are `then held in .place by the Iplate 318 lwhich is yfastened tothe :hub bysuitable fasteningV devices, :as for example, the bolts 19, These bolts may also .be used ztofasten ythebra'ke drum 20 to the hub. The plate :18 is also provided with the` grooves 14a for Athe edges of the pieces 47 and I prefer :to vp;1.ovide.a space 14b between the ,plate :18.,and thev hub 2 so that when the bolts 19 are tightened up. the plate 18 presses upon vthe pieces 7 .and .clainpsthem in place. Y Y

The openings in the spoke inclosing 1devce maybe closed in any `desired manner. As herein showntheyare closed by the comloo paratively thin closure plates 21 (see Figs. 2, and). VThese plates-are arranged so Y vas not to interferel with the elasticity of the spokes vand the inclosed flat pieces 7. The pieces 7, asl shown, are provided with i' grooves into which the closure pieces 21 fit.

1 tions thereof at their outer ends.

At the outer ends of the pieces 7 is another guide 22 which is welded or otherwise fastened to the pieces 7 which acts as a guide for the outer end of the spoke 6 (see Figs.

. 2, 5 ,and 6). As illustrated in F ig. 3, the inner ends Vof the pieces 7 are bent away from each otherso that the distance between them is greater than the distance between the por- The wheel is adapted to be used on vehicles of various kinds. When the wheels are used on auto.-

Imobiles, forexample, and are used as the driving wheels,the driving power is applied to 'the axle 24 and under these conditions, when the wheel strikes an obstacle, the aXle and thehub tend to move forward faster Ethan. therirn due to the elasticity 'of the 'wheel and then the entire wheel moves over 25 the-obstacle. When two of the wheels are driven, for example, this actionl occurs on all the wheels and'breaks the force of the i Ablow and takes up the jar. 1n the ordinary operation of the wheel, the hub and the rim moverelatively, the spokes compressing the springs 15, and `when the loadwarrants it, the 'springs "17, .such spokes moving 1n the guides 8 and 22 thus taking up the jar and causing the smooth traveling of the vehicle.

When the springs are under pressure and the shock is relieved, the wheel comes back so quickly ythat it reduces the torque of the engine on the spokes.' The'compression of the springs in the hub reduces the circumferential movement of the Vspokes and the springs under pressure and thel side springs take up the side motion. The movement Adueto the springs is relatively small because I prefer to have the springs compressed highly under pressure, say about two hundred pounds.

This construction also takes out the vibration. Y

' :I have described in detail -a particular y .Y construction embodying the invention but it varied in many particulars withoutdepartingfrom the spirit ofthe invent-ion as emis of course evident that the parts may be 'rim,^ separated guiding devices connected Vwith the inclosing devices and through which the spoke passes, a spring between the inner ends of said inclosing devices, an enlarged device on thek spoke opposed to said spring.

2. Awheel comprising a rim, a series of spokes fastened to said rim, a hub, two separated flat inclosing devices for each of said spokes, said inclosing devices fastened to said hub, and projecting outwardly, their ends being separated by a space from said rim, separated guiding 'devices connected with the inclosing devices and through which the spoke passes, al spring between the inner ends of said inclosing devices, an enlarged device on the spoke opposed tosaid spring and closure pieces on opposite sides of said spokes opposed to the edges of said inclosing pieces.

3. A wheel comprisingy a rim, a series of spokes fastened to said rim, a hub, two separated flat inclosing devices for each of said spokes, said inclosing .devices fastenedto saidv hub, and projecting outwardly, their ends being separated by a space from said rim, separated' guiding devices connected with the inclosing devices and through which the spoke passes, a springA between the inner ends of said inclosing devices, an enlarged device on the spoke opposed to said spring, a second springiassociated with the first mentioned spring, one of said springs adapted to be brought into action if the other spring has 'been pressed a predetermined amount. A

4. A wheel comprising a rim, a series of spokes fastened to said rim,` a hub, two

vseparated flat inclosingy `devices for each of said spokes, said inclosing devices fastened to said hub, and projecting outwardly, their ends being separated by a space fromsaid rim, separated guiding devices connected with the inclosing devices and through which the spoke passes, a spring between the inner ends of said inclosing devices, an enlarged device on the spoke opposedV to saidV spring, each spoke iattened fora portion of its length between its ends, the spokes and the inclosing pieces having a spring action. s. i Y

5. A wheel comprising a rim', vai series of spokes fastened to saidv rim, a hub, flat inclosing pieces connected to said hub and projecting outwardly on opposite sides of each spokev and extending only part way along said spokes, said hub being provided with square holes into which theinner ends of said at inclosing pieces project, means for locking said inner ends to the hub, said hub being provided with a groove on the inner side of the ends of said inclosing pieces so as to form a shoulder, a spring associated with each spoke and located between itsinclosinglpieces, one end of the spring opposed to said shoulder and the other end opposed to the spoke and separated guiding devices connected with said inclosing pieces'which hold the spoke substantially centrally betWeen the enclosing devices.

6. A Wheel comprising a rim, a series of spokes fastened to said rim, a hub, flat enclosing pieces connected With said hub yand projecting outwardly on opposite sides of each spoke and extending only part Way along said spokes, said hub being provided With square holes into Which the inner ends of said fiat enclosing pieces project, means for locking said inner ends to the hub, said hub being provided With ay groove on the inner side of the ends of said enclosing pieces so as to form a shoulder, a spring associated With each spoke, one end of the spring opposed to said shoulder and the other end opposed to the spoke and separated guiding devices connected With said enclosing pieces Which hold thespoke substantially centrally between the enclosing devices, the spokes flattened for a portion of their length, said spokes and enclosing pieces acting as spring members.

7. A Wheel comprising a hub provided With a circumferential groove, aV shoulder at the bottom of said groove, said hub provided With a series of holes, springs opposed to said shoulder and projecting into said holes, a rim, spokes connected with said rim and opposed to said springs, separate enclosing devices on opposite sides of each spoke and projectinginto the openings in the hub and part Way along said springs and meansfor removably fastening said en nected with said rim, a hub, a seriesv of springs in said hub, tv'vo of said springs `associated With each spoke and being inl alignment therewith, the spokes adapted to compress said springs, one of the springs associated With' each spoke adapted to be brought into action if the otherA spring has been compressed a predetermined amount.

Signed at Chicago, county of Cook'and State of Illinois, this 1st day of September, 1923.

JOHN n. nain. 

